When a holiday is right around the corner that means all the holiday TV specials start to air, both new and old. Thanksgiving, a national US holiday is celebrated not only with family, but with friends as well. A get-together of sorts that tends to revolve around various activities, such as cooking, baking, football playing, parade watching, alcohol consuming, the occasional trash talking, and of course the most fun activity of all: eating. These 8 shows celebrate Thanksgiving in their own way, but each sending a powerful message.
THE BIG BANG THEORY, S7 E9, “THE THANKSGIVING DECOUPLING”
The gang is recruited and invited to the Wolowitz’s home for Thanksgiving dinner because Howard needed his friend’s support and company to not be left alone with his father-in-law, who he feels hates him. As Bernadette, Raj, and Amy help with the cooking and setting up of the table, they are all highly invested in the drama revolving Penny’s legal Vegas wedding to her ex-boyfriend Zack, who she ends up inviting to the dinner, angering Leonard. Whereas, Howard trying to bond with his father-in-law goes nowhere as Mike ends up bonding more with Sheldon over their knowledge of football.
The well-written jokes, uncomfortable time spent with the in-law, and the drama that unfolds and resolves in this episode is what makes it fun to watch.
BOY MEETS WORLD, S4 E10, “TURKEY DAY”
This show definitely hit all the feels with the life lessons from Mr. Feeny, the bromance between Cory and Shawn, and the loving relationship between Cory and Topanga that we all hope to have in life. This Thanksgiving episode was deep and definitely showed kids/teens a real world problem in society.
Cory and Shawn’s families are both from different social classes and while they both, and the rest of the kids, don’t let how one another lives affect how they treat one another, the adults find it harder to deal with. The parents are struggling to find common ground or act normal around one another because they feel different or misunderstood being on different levels.
This episode shows viewers how each class is different by their limitations, but are also the same with how they go about the situations they are dealt with. The kids all join together to eat their meal and the parents end up seeing the kids congregating together peacefully without letting the issue of social class get in the way. The social difference doesn’t affect Cory or Shawn’s friendship whatsoever. If anything it only made their friendship stronger.
A CHARLIE BROWN THANKSGIVING
A true classic that is shown every year where viewers get to watch Charlie Brown and the Peanut gang celebrate Thanksgiving. Snoopy and Woodstock end up in charge of helping Charlie Brown prepare a Thanksgiving meal for his friends and ends up not to Peppermint Patty’s standards for what a “traditional” Thanksgiving ought to be. She gets upset with at Charlie Brown for the so-called dinner when Marcie points out that they were never invited in the first place. Peppermint Patty invited herself and others to Charlie Brown’s home and forced him to make them dinner.
In the end, Peppermint Patty realizes the error of her ways, but asks Marcie to apologize to Charlie Brown on her behalf. They’re all invited to Grandma Brown’s condominium for Thanksgiving, and Snoopy and Woodstock have their own Thanksgiving meal in the “traditional” way. This shows that not everyone has to celebrate the same way and to not invite yourself over to other people’s home. Wait for an invitation or ask politely if you could be included in their festivities and thank them by bringing over a dish.
FRESH OFF THE BOAT, S2 E8, “HUANGSGIVING”
The episode opens with sibling rivalry between Jessica and her sister Connie. Connie, who is usually chosen every year by their mother to host Thanksgiving dinner has this time been overlooked and the privilege of hosting Thanksgiving dinner goes to Jessica and the Huang family. Jessica is set on making the dinner perfect and better than Connie’s so that she could host every year, but of course with every competition, things don’t always go as planned.
Sibling rivalry is common and tends to always rear its head during the holidays. But in the end of the day even, we’re all family and only want the best for one another. We accept and love one another, because deep down we care, or just really want to be the best.
FRIENDS, S1 E9, “THE ONE WHERE UNDERDOG GETS AWAY”
The first Thanksgiving episode of many in this series never gets old to watch. We learn in the beginning that Monica and Ross plan to spend Thanksgiving together as their parents abandoned them for a trip to Puerto Rico. They invite Phoebe so she wouldn’t be alone and the rest of the gang had plans of their own. Yep, had. For their plans don’t go as expected, except for Chandler as he boycotts Thanksgiving. They end up spending Thanksgiving together, but aren’t appreciative of Monica trying to please each person with their preference of potatoes. In the end, they resolve their fight due to the mutual curiosity of Monica and Rachel’s neighbor across the way, “Ugly Naked Guy” having Thanksgiving dinner with a date. In turn they look at one another thankful for each other, and have dinner filled with tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.
FRIENDS, S6 E9, “THE ONE WHERE ROSS GOT HIGH”
Okay, I couldn’t help it. I had to include another Friends’ Thanksgiving episode.
Monica and Chandler are now living together, unbeknownst to her parents. Monica avoided telling them because she knows how much they dislike him and to try and mend that fact, Chandler tries to make himself more likable, only to fail awkwardly. But the true shining moment wasn’t only the truth bombs or the parent’s acceptance of their relationship, but of everyone working together to pretend to like Rachel’s failed dessert, well except Joey who genuinely loved the English trifle/Shepherd’s Pie concoction.
Hope everyone has a fun filled Thanksgiving and no matter how you celebrate, remember to focus and appreciate all the little things we have in life, and give thanks to your family and your vinas!
(Feature image via @lalalovelythings)
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